06 December 2010

Government refuses US Visa for Fiji Chief Justice

The US Government has refused a US Visa for Fijian Chief Justice Anthony Gates to attend the 9th Session of the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute.

US Visa

The US Government has refused a US Visa for Fijian Chief Justice Anthony Gates.

Fiji was invited by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to make a presentation on the development and progress made by Fiji in relation to the implementation of the Rome Statute.

However, the US Embassy refused Gates’ visa to attend the session and instead Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the UN Peter Thompson and his deputy Luke Daunivalu will represent Fiji in the meeting.

The ICC had already confirmed an allocated time for Justice Gates to make a representation on behalf of Fiji, and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum said the failure of the US Embassy to issue the US Visa was demeaning.

 “It is most unfortunate and gravely disappointing that Fiji was and yet again frustrated in its attempt to adequately make representations to this meeting to this ICC, including meetings of other international organisations in which Fiji is active participant, as a result of this contemptible conduct on the part of the US Embassy,” he said.

Permanent Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry Viliame Naupoto, was also not issued a US Visa to represent Fiji at the Annual Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.  


The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their ESTA applications to the US Embassy.


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